Posts: 4

Topic: Systemic Chemo - Anybody have any luck with it?

Hi everyone,

My dad was diagnosed about a year ago with intrahepatic ccc. His tumor is quite large and he was told that it was inoperable. He tried chemoemobilization without success and has had to have his stent replaced every six weeks or so. This last time the doctors at Mayo placed 2 stents and after just a few days his usual symptoms reappeared. He recently had a scan that showed lesions on his liver and is planning on taking chemo to hopefully keep the cancer from spreading.

My question is, have any of you had results with systemic chemo? If so, what type of chemo did you have and how severe were the side effects?

Thank you so much for sharing your information.

My thoughts are with everyone on this board struggling with this ugly disease.

Re: Systemic Chemo - Anybody have any luck with it?

Tom -

My husband, Mike, underwent chemoembolization of the liver in 2/06 and 3/06. His 10 cm tumor as well as some of the smaller ones remained stable until 10/06, at which time there was slight growth. His oncologist continued to monitor the size of the tumors, and they began growing again. In 12/06 he had 4 cycles of gemcitabine and oxalilplatin, and an MRI after this treatment showed it was not successful. He started on 5-FU, but because of other issues, it was discontinued. There is no standard treatment or protocols for this disease, and every patient responds differently to treatments. Talk to your Dad's oncologist, who I'm sure will guide you. My thoughts and prayers are with you as you fight this disease.

Re: Systemic Chemo - Anybody have any luck with it?

Hi,You know talking to the oncologist is the first thing you should do. Then Google chemo and you will come up with everything.

I've learned SO much about this cancer and treatments just from the internet.

My husband John was dx'd in Feb.'05 so we've been throught the wringer.

Have the Drs. suggested Photo dynamic Therapy? It is used to kill the tumor in the bile duct itself. John had that done immediately then had stints put in. It cleared up his jaundice in about 3 days.

He then had internal radiation and stint changes every 4-6 months. Finally they put in titanium stints and he is now undergoing chemo. He's getting Myoticin and zeloda. the first chemo was oxiplatin and gemzar. Those didn't work at all but these new ones seem to be working.

You really need to google cholangiocarcinoma and learn all you can so when your Dr. suggests something you will know what the heck he's talking about.Also do not believe it if they give you a time line! They told us that John had 18 months to live and that was in '05. We fooled em.

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